Friday, December 11
Bloomington, Ind.
7 pm
Indiana University
vs
SAMFORD
#IUWBB Game 9 Preview: Samford
12/10/2015 3:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball
THE OPENING TIP
Indiana welcomes Samford to Assembly Hall on Friday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. ET. The game can be heard on WHCC 105.1 FM in Bloomington with Greg Murray on the call. The contest can also be watched on BTN Plus.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Friday's matchup between Indiana and Samford will be the first ever meeting in women's basketball between the two programs.
• Samford University is located in Birmingham, Ala. and the Bulldogs are part of the Southern Conference.
• IU hung on to defeat Indiana State on the road last time out, giving Indiana its third-consecutive win and fourth victory in five games.
• Indiana's 69-60 victory over Georgia Tech on Dec. 2 gave the Hoosiers their fourth-straight victory in a Big Ten/ACC Challenge game.
• After tonight's home game, IU will play away from Assembly Hall in five of its next seven games. The Hoosiers are in a stretch where they play 10 out of 14 games away from Bloomington.
• Indiana has already played five teams that played in the postseason a year ago with two more to come in the non-conference schedule including Miami and West Virginia.
• Sophomore Tyra Buss has scored in double figures in every game so far this season and is averaging 18.8 points, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game to lead IU in each of those categories. Dating back to last season, Buss has scored in double figures in 12-consecutive games.
• Amanda Cahill ranks seventh in the Big Ten in field goal percentage as the sophomore is shooting 58.0 percent overall and 47.4 percent from 3-point range while averaging 12.5 points and 7.3 rebounds (leads team) per game. Cahill has scored in double figures six times this season.
• Freshman Kym Royster is beginning to assert herself for the Hoosiers. For the year, she is shooting 53.8 percent from the field and last time out at Indiana State, skied for a career-high tying six rebounds to go along with eight points, two steals and a block.
• Junior Jenn Anderson hit four clutch free throws in the final minutes in the win at Indiana State last time out. Anderson is shooting 76.0 percent from the field so far this year and has scored in double figures in two of the last three games.
THE COACHES
Indiana
Teri Moren
Career Record: 220-148 (13th year)
Indiana Record: 21-18 (2nd year)
Samford
Mike Morris
Career Record: 228-174 (14th year)
Samford Record: 228-174 (14th year)
SAMFORD AT A GLANCE
Samford arrives in Bloomington for its sixth-consecutive game away from Birmingham. The Bulldogs are limiting opponents to score just 46.9 points per game and shoot only 26.7 percent from 3-point range. Scoring can come from multiple Bulldog players as no one on the team averages double figures, but six players tally 6.2 points per game or more and all but one player who has seen minutes this year has attempted at least 13 3-point field goals. Amara Mayers leads Samford with 9.0 points per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the field. Krista Stricklin and Kassidy Blevins will be the main long distance threats for the Bulldogs as the duo leads the team in 3-point field goal makes and attempts.
D-D-D DEFENSE
So far on the year, Indiana has held five opponents to 60 points or less, has twice held opponents to shoot less than 30 percent from the field and in every game but one, IU has held foes to shoot under 40 percent overall. Last time out at Indiana State, the Hoosiers limited the Sycamores to only 28.1 percent shooting. Indiana has also held opponents to shoot just 28.6 percent from beyond the arc, including five times where opponents were held under 30 percent from 3-point range.
HOOSIERS BATTLING STIFF COMPETITION FROM THE START
With Indiana's matchup with Georgia Tech on Dec. 2, it marked the fifth time in seven games that Indiana had taken on an opponent who played in the postseason a year ago, including four NCAA Tournament teams. IU is the only team in the Big Ten to have played at least four NCAA teams from last year in the first five games played of 2015-16 and the Hoosiers are the only team in the conference to open the year with three-straight NCAA Tourney foes. IU has two more non-conference games against postseason teams from last year on the schedule in Miami (NCAA) and West Virginia (WNIT).
THE BUSS IS ROLLING
Sophomore Tyra Buss has scored in double figures in every game this season and dating back to last year, 12-consecutive games. She currently leads the team in scoring, assists and steals, averaging 18.8 points, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
In the win over Georgia Tech last week, Buss was huge in crunch time scoring 17 of her 22 points in the second half, including a stretch where she scored 10-straight Hoosier points during the fourth quarter. That 10-point streak was a 10-4 overall run for IU and took the Hoosiers from a four-point deficit (56-52) to a two-point lead (62-60).
Buss has scored 20 or more points in four games, including a career-high 29 points in the win at IPFW on Nov. 24. In that game, she shot 7-of-14 from the field and 14-of-18 from the free throw line. Her 14 makes from the line tied for the sixth most free throws made in a single game in program history. Her other 20-point outbursts came against Austin Peay in Nashville on Nov. 28 when she had 23 points and also in the season opener vs. Tennessee State where she finished with 21.
CLIMBING TO THE CA-HILL TOP
Sophomore Amanda Cahill has had the hot hand to start the year, shooting 58.0 percent from the field and 47.4 percent from 3-point range while averaging 12.5 points and a team-leading 7.3 rebounds per game with 1.1 steals per contest. Cahill has had five games this year where she has shot 66.7 percent or better and three contests where she hit 71.4 percent or better from the field.
Last time out at Indiana State, Cahill scored 14 points with seven boards while shooting 6-of-8 from the field. She was one of six players named to the All-Preseason WNIT Team at the conclusion of the tournament on Nov. 22. Cahill scored in double figures in all three games for the Hoosiers in the tournament and led IU in rebounding in every contest.
Cahill has scored in double figures in six games this year and has had seven or more rebounds in seven contests. She has led the Hoosiers in rebounding five times.
CLOSING THE DOOR
Indiana downed Georgia Tech on Dec. 2 to give Indiana its fourth-straight win in Big Ten/ACC Challenge games. The Hoosiers closed the game with a 12-2 run over the final 4:20 of the contest, holding Georgia Tech scoreless for the final 4:05 of the game. Indiana outscored Georgia Tech 20-6 over the final 6:37 of the game. Indiana trailed by as many as five points in the fourth quarter.
IU also had strong finishes in wins over then-No. 24 Chattanooga on Nov. 17 and vs. Austin Peay on Nov. 28. Against UTC, IU trailed heading into the fourth quarter, but finished the game strong, using a 12-0 run to help outscore the Mocs 19-6 in the final period to earn the win. In the Austin Peay game, the Hoosiers led by only five at the half, but came out scorching in the third quarter, shooting 70.4 percent for the half and outscored the Governors in the third period alone, 34-11, to put the game out of reach.
HIT THE GASSION PEDAL
Alexis Gassion is averaging double-figure points so far this year with 11.3 points per game to go along with 6.0 rebounds per contest. Gassion played a major role down the stretch in Indiana's win over Georgia Tech as the junior scored 11 of her 15 points in the second half. For the game, she shot 5-of-9 from the field and added five rebounds.
She scored a season-high 20 points in the win at IPFW on Nov. 24, going 7-of-11 from the field with eight rebounds and a block. She has scored in double figures in five games this year and 28 times in her career.
Last season, Gassion played in all 31 games, starting in the final 16. She averaged 8.0 points per game and was second on the team with 6.1 rebounds per contest. Gassion tallied 10 or more points 10 times and double-digit rebounds four times with a pair of double-doubles. The Fairborn, Ohio, native shot 44.9 percent from the field, 77.0 percent from the free throw line and 34.8 percent from 3-point range.
JENN FROM THE BLOCK
Jenn Anderson is starting to come around after missing some time in preseason due to injury. The junior has scored in double figures in two of the last three games. She hit some clutch free throws in the win at Indiana State and was a major disruption on the defensive end for IU down the stretch against Georgia Tech. Against the Yellow Jackets, Anderson tallied 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting with seven boards and two blocks. One of those blocks came in the closing minutes against GT, where she also took a charge during that stretch.
That game came on the heels of a 10-point performance in Indiana's win over Austin Peay on Nov. 28 and added two blocks while shooting 4-of-5 overall. For the year, Anderson is shooting 76.0 percent from the field.
As a sophomore, Anderson ranked fourth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage in 2014-15, shooting 56.0 percent. Her field goal percentage was the highest percentage by an IU player for a single year since 1997-98. She appeared in 30 games and made 28 starts last year while averaging 7.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Anderson also nailed 72.1 percent of her free throw attempts.
From her freshman to sophomore year, Anderson saw major improvement in scoring (+4.5 ppg), field goal percentage (+10.2 percent), free throw percentage (+25 percent) as well as rebounds, steals and blocks.
ROYSTER TO THE RESCUE
Freshman Kym Royster is starting to see more minutes as of late. At Indiana State, she tied her career high with six rebounds and led the Indiana bench with eight points in the win, shooting 4-of-6 from the field. At the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament, Royster skied for a career-high six rebounds in each game and had a career-best 11 points against Ohio on Nov. 27. Royster was instrumental in Indiana's win over then-No. 24 Chattanooga as she scored six-straight points that were part of a 12-0 Hoosier run that sealed the victory.
For the year, Royster is shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 87.5 percent from the free throw line.
Indiana welcomes Samford to Assembly Hall on Friday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. ET. The game can be heard on WHCC 105.1 FM in Bloomington with Greg Murray on the call. The contest can also be watched on BTN Plus.
| Indiana (6-2) vs. Samford (6-3) Friday, Dec. 11 • 7 p.m. ET Assembly Hall • Bloomington, Ind. Live Web Broadcast: BTN Plus Radio: WHCC 105.1 FM (Greg Murray, Jimmy Cook) |
DID YOU KNOW?
• Friday's matchup between Indiana and Samford will be the first ever meeting in women's basketball between the two programs.
• Samford University is located in Birmingham, Ala. and the Bulldogs are part of the Southern Conference.
• IU hung on to defeat Indiana State on the road last time out, giving Indiana its third-consecutive win and fourth victory in five games.
• Indiana's 69-60 victory over Georgia Tech on Dec. 2 gave the Hoosiers their fourth-straight victory in a Big Ten/ACC Challenge game.
• After tonight's home game, IU will play away from Assembly Hall in five of its next seven games. The Hoosiers are in a stretch where they play 10 out of 14 games away from Bloomington.
• Indiana has already played five teams that played in the postseason a year ago with two more to come in the non-conference schedule including Miami and West Virginia.
• Sophomore Tyra Buss has scored in double figures in every game so far this season and is averaging 18.8 points, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game to lead IU in each of those categories. Dating back to last season, Buss has scored in double figures in 12-consecutive games.
• Amanda Cahill ranks seventh in the Big Ten in field goal percentage as the sophomore is shooting 58.0 percent overall and 47.4 percent from 3-point range while averaging 12.5 points and 7.3 rebounds (leads team) per game. Cahill has scored in double figures six times this season.
• Freshman Kym Royster is beginning to assert herself for the Hoosiers. For the year, she is shooting 53.8 percent from the field and last time out at Indiana State, skied for a career-high tying six rebounds to go along with eight points, two steals and a block.
• Junior Jenn Anderson hit four clutch free throws in the final minutes in the win at Indiana State last time out. Anderson is shooting 76.0 percent from the field so far this year and has scored in double figures in two of the last three games.
THE COACHES
Indiana
Teri Moren
Career Record: 220-148 (13th year)
Indiana Record: 21-18 (2nd year)
Samford
Mike Morris
Career Record: 228-174 (14th year)
Samford Record: 228-174 (14th year)
SAMFORD AT A GLANCE
Samford arrives in Bloomington for its sixth-consecutive game away from Birmingham. The Bulldogs are limiting opponents to score just 46.9 points per game and shoot only 26.7 percent from 3-point range. Scoring can come from multiple Bulldog players as no one on the team averages double figures, but six players tally 6.2 points per game or more and all but one player who has seen minutes this year has attempted at least 13 3-point field goals. Amara Mayers leads Samford with 9.0 points per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the field. Krista Stricklin and Kassidy Blevins will be the main long distance threats for the Bulldogs as the duo leads the team in 3-point field goal makes and attempts.
D-D-D DEFENSE
So far on the year, Indiana has held five opponents to 60 points or less, has twice held opponents to shoot less than 30 percent from the field and in every game but one, IU has held foes to shoot under 40 percent overall. Last time out at Indiana State, the Hoosiers limited the Sycamores to only 28.1 percent shooting. Indiana has also held opponents to shoot just 28.6 percent from beyond the arc, including five times where opponents were held under 30 percent from 3-point range.
HOOSIERS BATTLING STIFF COMPETITION FROM THE START
With Indiana's matchup with Georgia Tech on Dec. 2, it marked the fifth time in seven games that Indiana had taken on an opponent who played in the postseason a year ago, including four NCAA Tournament teams. IU is the only team in the Big Ten to have played at least four NCAA teams from last year in the first five games played of 2015-16 and the Hoosiers are the only team in the conference to open the year with three-straight NCAA Tourney foes. IU has two more non-conference games against postseason teams from last year on the schedule in Miami (NCAA) and West Virginia (WNIT).
THE BUSS IS ROLLING
Sophomore Tyra Buss has scored in double figures in every game this season and dating back to last year, 12-consecutive games. She currently leads the team in scoring, assists and steals, averaging 18.8 points, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
In the win over Georgia Tech last week, Buss was huge in crunch time scoring 17 of her 22 points in the second half, including a stretch where she scored 10-straight Hoosier points during the fourth quarter. That 10-point streak was a 10-4 overall run for IU and took the Hoosiers from a four-point deficit (56-52) to a two-point lead (62-60).
Buss has scored 20 or more points in four games, including a career-high 29 points in the win at IPFW on Nov. 24. In that game, she shot 7-of-14 from the field and 14-of-18 from the free throw line. Her 14 makes from the line tied for the sixth most free throws made in a single game in program history. Her other 20-point outbursts came against Austin Peay in Nashville on Nov. 28 when she had 23 points and also in the season opener vs. Tennessee State where she finished with 21.
CLIMBING TO THE CA-HILL TOP
Sophomore Amanda Cahill has had the hot hand to start the year, shooting 58.0 percent from the field and 47.4 percent from 3-point range while averaging 12.5 points and a team-leading 7.3 rebounds per game with 1.1 steals per contest. Cahill has had five games this year where she has shot 66.7 percent or better and three contests where she hit 71.4 percent or better from the field.
Last time out at Indiana State, Cahill scored 14 points with seven boards while shooting 6-of-8 from the field. She was one of six players named to the All-Preseason WNIT Team at the conclusion of the tournament on Nov. 22. Cahill scored in double figures in all three games for the Hoosiers in the tournament and led IU in rebounding in every contest.
Cahill has scored in double figures in six games this year and has had seven or more rebounds in seven contests. She has led the Hoosiers in rebounding five times.
CLOSING THE DOOR
Indiana downed Georgia Tech on Dec. 2 to give Indiana its fourth-straight win in Big Ten/ACC Challenge games. The Hoosiers closed the game with a 12-2 run over the final 4:20 of the contest, holding Georgia Tech scoreless for the final 4:05 of the game. Indiana outscored Georgia Tech 20-6 over the final 6:37 of the game. Indiana trailed by as many as five points in the fourth quarter.
IU also had strong finishes in wins over then-No. 24 Chattanooga on Nov. 17 and vs. Austin Peay on Nov. 28. Against UTC, IU trailed heading into the fourth quarter, but finished the game strong, using a 12-0 run to help outscore the Mocs 19-6 in the final period to earn the win. In the Austin Peay game, the Hoosiers led by only five at the half, but came out scorching in the third quarter, shooting 70.4 percent for the half and outscored the Governors in the third period alone, 34-11, to put the game out of reach.
HIT THE GASSION PEDAL
Alexis Gassion is averaging double-figure points so far this year with 11.3 points per game to go along with 6.0 rebounds per contest. Gassion played a major role down the stretch in Indiana's win over Georgia Tech as the junior scored 11 of her 15 points in the second half. For the game, she shot 5-of-9 from the field and added five rebounds.
She scored a season-high 20 points in the win at IPFW on Nov. 24, going 7-of-11 from the field with eight rebounds and a block. She has scored in double figures in five games this year and 28 times in her career.
Last season, Gassion played in all 31 games, starting in the final 16. She averaged 8.0 points per game and was second on the team with 6.1 rebounds per contest. Gassion tallied 10 or more points 10 times and double-digit rebounds four times with a pair of double-doubles. The Fairborn, Ohio, native shot 44.9 percent from the field, 77.0 percent from the free throw line and 34.8 percent from 3-point range.
JENN FROM THE BLOCK
Jenn Anderson is starting to come around after missing some time in preseason due to injury. The junior has scored in double figures in two of the last three games. She hit some clutch free throws in the win at Indiana State and was a major disruption on the defensive end for IU down the stretch against Georgia Tech. Against the Yellow Jackets, Anderson tallied 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting with seven boards and two blocks. One of those blocks came in the closing minutes against GT, where she also took a charge during that stretch.
That game came on the heels of a 10-point performance in Indiana's win over Austin Peay on Nov. 28 and added two blocks while shooting 4-of-5 overall. For the year, Anderson is shooting 76.0 percent from the field.
As a sophomore, Anderson ranked fourth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage in 2014-15, shooting 56.0 percent. Her field goal percentage was the highest percentage by an IU player for a single year since 1997-98. She appeared in 30 games and made 28 starts last year while averaging 7.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Anderson also nailed 72.1 percent of her free throw attempts.
From her freshman to sophomore year, Anderson saw major improvement in scoring (+4.5 ppg), field goal percentage (+10.2 percent), free throw percentage (+25 percent) as well as rebounds, steals and blocks.
ROYSTER TO THE RESCUE
Freshman Kym Royster is starting to see more minutes as of late. At Indiana State, she tied her career high with six rebounds and led the Indiana bench with eight points in the win, shooting 4-of-6 from the field. At the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament, Royster skied for a career-high six rebounds in each game and had a career-best 11 points against Ohio on Nov. 27. Royster was instrumental in Indiana's win over then-No. 24 Chattanooga as she scored six-straight points that were part of a 12-0 Hoosier run that sealed the victory.
For the year, Royster is shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 87.5 percent from the free throw line.
Players Mentioned
Center
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
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